The idea of placing a protective means under the knees or other part of the body of a workman which would otherwise be in contact with a hard or otherwise hostile surface on which he may have to be supported while working is probably ancient. Examples of such means are the devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,529,498 to Novak; 2,052,973 to Furtzaig; 2,225,696 to Holzderber; 3,499,502 to Rosander; 4,185,846 to Black; British Pat. No. 628,746 and Norwegian Pat. No. 79755. The devices of the above enumerated patents all include a platform or frame covered by a pad intended to provide a degree of comfort for the workman who kneels or lies down on the device while working. It is also common for these devices to have carrying and storage facilities such as hand holds and storage compartments like those shown as items 21 and 27, respectively, in the figures of the Holzderber patent.
The above prior art devices have serious shortcomings, particularly when the workman desires at one time to carry with him and use the device to protect him from an uncomfortable, slippery or otherwise hazardous supporting surface, carry with him and have convenient access to tools and working materials, and have both arms free and unencumbered to enable, when necessary, his climbing to the workplace.
it is also known that various objects may be attached to the human body by hooks which engage the shoulder from behind and enable the object to hang behind the person from his shoulders by the hooks. An example is the carrier for supporting sick or wounded individuals upon the back of the carrying person as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,296,619 to Bulat. There is nothing in Bulat, however, that suggests that such hooks might be incorporated with a kneeling platform nor, or course, suggests how such hooks might be so incorporated.
I have discovered a kneeling platform comprising a unique combination of features which enables the comfortable and secure support of a workman on almost any working surface, the carrying of the platform over the shoulder to allow both arms free for climbing and storage facilities appropriate for the type of work in question.